Bottle washing machine



May 6, 1941. P. c. READ BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 20, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 6, 1941. P. c. READ BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 20, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Phz/za E. FEE/j M a Patented May 6, 1941 BOTTLE WASHING MACHINE Philip C. Read, Shorewood, Wis., assigncr to Dostal & Lowey Co.,Inc., Menomonee Falls, Wis., a. corporation of Wisconsin 1 Application February 20, 1939, Serial No. 257,445

Claims.

This invention relates to bottle washing machines and refers particularly to the manner in which the bottles are held by their carriers.

In bottle washing machines now in general use, several different types of carriers have been employed. In some instances, the carriers have in.-

dividual pockets which support the bottles when inverted but in which they must be held when in upright positions by a suitable support on which the bottom of the bottle rests.

In another machine, the carriers have individual pockets provided with doors that swing closed after insertion of the bottles to retain them in place.

Still another type of carrier that has been used incorporates releasable gripping or clamping devices by which the bottles are gripped at the neck.

The latter construction is advantageous not only from the standpoint of cost, but also for the reason that it is not limited to a small range of bottle sizes. All bottles of a particular type have the same size necks. However, carriers of this character have had an inherent objection which precluded their use in bottle washing machines where the bottles are successively carried into and out of a plurality of tanks.

This objection arises from the fact that unless the pitch orspacing between bottles or rows of bottles on the conveyors was increased to an impractical distance, only an outside turn could be negotiated by the conveyor. An inside turn could not be made as the bottles would strike each other.

Hence, an up and down or in and out path could not be given the conveyor, and as this is necessary to carry the bottles successively into and out of a number of tanks, the neck gripping type of carrier could not be used.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved bottle carrier of the type which gripsthe bottles at the neck and which is so designed that the conveyor can be caused to travel around inside and outside curves without danger of having the bottles strike each other.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bottle carrier of the type which holds the bottles at the neck, which is so designed that the bottles can be locked against endwise motion and released to drop into centering cups when travelingin an inverted position to insure proper alignment of the bottles with cleaning sprays or other cleaning devices.

which the bottles drop by gravity to be held in a manner permitting liquids to flush down around the necks of the bottles.

With. the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and'arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being Another object of this invention is to provide a simple but effective manner of centering the bot tles by means of funnel-shaped receptacles into understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims The accompanying drawings illustrate two complete examples of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed in accordance with the best modes so far devised for the practical application of the principles .thereof, and in which: i

Figure 1 is a sectional view through part of a bottle washing machine to illustrate the manner in which the bottles are carried successively into and out of a row of tanks;

Figure 2 is anvenlarged detail sectional view taken through Figure 1 on the plane of the'line 22;

Figure 3 is a top plan view showing a portion of one of the bottle carriers with bottles gripped portion of the bottle carrier showing the manner in which the bottles are centered;

Figure 7 is a. detail cross sectional view taken through Figure 6 on the plane of the line 'l1; and Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6, but showing a slightly modified-form of the invention.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the numerals 5, 6 and 1 designate a plurality of tanks which form part of a bottle washing machine and into which bottles B are successively carried by an endless conveyor, designated generally by the numeral 8.

It is, of course, to be understood that the path of the bottles through the machine depends upon its particular design. The path mayincludevertical or inclinedstretches, horizontal stretches, and other directions of travel, but inasmuch as the invention is concerned primarily with the manner in which inside and outside curves are the bottles are gripped at the neck, only a small portion of the complete conveyor has been illustrated in Figure 1.

The conveyor, which comprises two endless conveyor chains 9, travels on suitable guide tracks and where it enters and leaves the tanks, it is trained over wheels or other guides l and II at the top and bottom of the tanks, respectively.

Between these guide wheels, the conveyor travels along straight stretches inclined'in a direction depending upon the direction of travel of the conveyor. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1, theconveyor travels from right to left as indicated by the arrow D. Hence, the straight stretches of the conveyor are inclined to the right to permit the unobstructed filling of the bottles during their descent into the tanks, and rapid draining thereof during their upward travel, it being understood that the bottles are so held that the mouths of the bottles descending into the tanks and leaving the tanks face each other.

The drive for the conveyor forms no part of this invention and has not-been shown. In some 4 machines, the travel of the conveyoris uninterrupted. but inothers, it moves with an intermittent action.

An intermittent advance of the conveyor is necessaryin some machines to enable loading and unloading and to-successively present the rows of'bottles carried thereby to the cleaning instrumentalities, such as sprays and brushes (not shown) when these devices have fixed location's.

.The conveyor chains 9 are joined at spaced intervals by carriers indicated generally by the numeral l2. Each .carrier comprisestwo superimposed bars I 3 and I4 held together in spaced apart relation by spacers or side walls is. The length of these carrier bars is dependent upon the width of the machine, and at spaced intervals along the length thereofpthey have aligned holes I and II, respectively, to permit the head H on the neck of the bottle to pass therethrough.

Slidable between the carrier bars l3 and II is a locking plate I8. This locking plate has keyhole-shaped; openings 19 corresponding in number to the number of sets of holes l8 and I1, and so positioned as to permit either their large ends 20 or their narrow ends 2| to be aligned therewith by sliding the plate I! in one directionor the other. The large ends 20 of the keyhole openings are of a size to permit\the passage of the head on the bottle, while the narrow ends 2| have a width to grip the neck of the bottle under the head, as shown inFigure 3.

bottle washing machine. There is, of course, a cam to slide the locking plate to its gripping position directly after the loading position, and one to slide the plate to its bottle releashig position just prior to the unloading position.

There is also a cam to release the bottles at a point in their path of travel where they are in an inverted position and advancing toward the sprays which project upwardly to clean the interior of the bottles. At that time, to insure the bottles being properly centered with respect to the sprays, they are permitted to drop by gravity into funnel-shaped cups or receptacles 21 secured to the carrier bar H and extending from the peripheries of the holes l'l therein.

These funnel-shaped cups or receptacles are of a size to engage the shoulder of the bottle and securely hold the same in an upright position properly centered with respect to the sprays (not shown). The position of the bottles when so held is as illustrated in Figure 6.

It is desirable when the bottles are traveling in this position to also permit liquids to flush down around their shoulders and necks, and to this end. the funnel-shaped'cups or receptacles have instruck ribs 28 which space the bottles from the walls proper of the receptacles. This condition is clearly illustrated in Figure 7.

The funnel-like receptacles 21 also have a guiding function during the loading of the bottles onto the conveyor. In loading, the bottles are inserted into the receptacles, preferably by an automatic loader, until their tops engage a stop grip, the keyhole openings are cut through, as

at 22, so that one side of the narrow end portion of the opening is formed by a substantially resilient finger 23.

The plate I8 is slid to and from itsoperative bottle gripping position byany suitable means such as -cams 24 and 25 mounted in the path of a lug 26 on one end of the plate. This manner of actuating the plate It requires the conveyor to be in motion during the actual shifting of the plate. It-is, otcoursa-possible to provide other means (not shown) to act on the slide (not shown). The bottles are thus properly located with respect to the locking slide plate It to permit the same to be slid to its bottle gripping position.

The manner in which the individual carriers are attached to the endless conveyor chains 9 is important as it is this feature which enables the conveyor to travel around inside or outside curves without having the bottles strike each other even though the pitch or spacing between adjacent carriers is not increased. To this end, an arm Ill extends laterally from the bar ll of each carrier to be connected, as at 3|, with the adjacent conveyor chain. The arms ll are of such length that the points at which the bottles are gripped lie in planes spaced to one side of a plane passing through the pitch lines of the conveyor chains.

In this manner, the length of the maximum sized bottles for which the machine is designed is divided substantially equally at opposite sides of the plane which passes through the pitch lines of the conveyor chains so that in making inside and outside turns, as illustrated in Figure 1, neither the bottoms nor the tops of the bottles strike each other even though the spacing between the individual carriers has not been increased. I

In the modified embodiment? of the invention illustrated in Figure 8, the carrier itself has means to limit the insertion of the bottle so as to obviate the necessity for the use of a separate step during loading.

In this construction,-one of the spaced bars 32 of the carrier has a cup 33 secured thereto to receive the head of the bottle. A rubber washer 34 is preferably seated in the bottom of the cup against which the mouth of the bottle engages.

This locates the bottle properly with relation to the locking slide plate l8 so that the plate may he slid to its Held in this manner, the bottles cannot drop down into the cups or funnel-like receptacles 21,

which thus merely serve to guide the bottles into place during loading; and as there may be a tendency for the-bottle to lean when inverted,.it

is preferable to provide a funnel 35 projecting from the bottom of the cup 33 to guide liquids up into the bottle. a

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent that this invention provides a substantial improvement in the manner of comprising: a bar having openings to receive the necks of the bottles; a slide movably connected with said bar and engageable with the bottles to lock the same to the carrier bar; arms extending from said carrier bar toward the direction from which the bottles are inserted; and means on the extremities of the arms by which the, arms may be attached to conveyor chains; said carrier arms having a length substantially equal to one-half the height of the bottles so as to hold the same spaced equal distances on each side oi. the plane common to the conveyor chains.

2. A bottle carrier 01' the character described comprising: superimposed substantially flat bars having aligned holes to receive the necks oi botties; a locking plate slidable between said bars and having keyhole-shaped openings, the large portions of which permit the passage of the heads on the ends of the bottle necks therethrough upon alignment with said holes in the bars, and the narrow portions of which are of a size to grip the bottle necks under their enlarged heads upon actuation of the" slide plate to bottle beneath its enlarged head with a spring tension upon sliding of the locking member in its operative position, one side of the keyhole shaped openings being cut so as to provide a nonrigid flnger having a degree of resiliency at one side of the keyholeshaped opening adapted to yield upon actuation of the slide plate to grip the bottle necks; and funnel-like receptacles projecting from the peripheries of the holes in the bar facing the bottles to engage their shoulders and support them in an upright inverted position upon actuation of the slide plate to its inoperative position.

3. A bottle carrier of the character described comprising: a member having a hole through which the headed end of a bottle may pass; a slide plate connected with said member and having a keyhole opening, the large portion of which upon alignment with the hole in said member permits the passage of the headed end of the bottle therethrough, and the narrow portion of which is of a width to grip the neck of the bottle under its head, and one side of the keyhole opening being cut away at its large end so that one side of its narrow slot is defined by a finger having a degree of resiliency.

4..In a bottle carrier of the character described: a carrier bar having a hole large enough to permit the head on the neck 0! a bottle to pass therethrough; a locking member slidable across said carrier bar; and spaced apart rigid and resilient gripping members on the locking member and movable therewith, said gripping members cooperating to engage and clamp the neck of a 75 one direction with respect to the carrier bar.

5. A bottle carrier of the character described comprising: a carrier element-having a hole to permitcthe headed end of a bottle to pass therethrough; 'a member movably mounted on said carrierelernent; and spaced apart cooperating rigid and resilient abutments on the movable member adjacent to said hole andmovable with said member from an inactive position with respect to a 'bottle having its headed end received in said hole to an active position in whichvthe neckcf the bottle is receivedbetween said abutments and thereby 'held in a yielding grip in a position defined conjointly by the rigid abutment and one edge of the hole in the carrier member.

6. A bottle carrier of the character described comprising: spaced apart carrier members having aligned holes through which the headed end ing providing a rigid and a resilient wall at opposite sides of the opening, said opening having an enlarged portion adjacent to its mouth to permit the passage of the headed end of the bottle therethrough upon alignment of the enlarged portion with said holes, and said opening being narrowed toward its closed end to a size to eflect gripping of the neck or the bottle between the resilient and rigid walls of the opening; a funnel mounted to guide a stream of liquid into the mouth of the bottle; and means carried by one of the carrier members, and extending in a direction opposite said tunnel to guide a bottle into position.

'1. A bottle carrier of the characterdescribed comprising: spaced apart carrier members having aligned holes through which the headed end of a bottle may pass; and a slide plate movable between said carrier members and having a bayonet-like opening providing a rigid and a resilient wall at opposite sides of the opening, said opening being enlarged at the month end thereof so that alignment of the enlarged portion of the opening with said holes permits the passage of the headed end of the bottle therethrough, and said bayonet-like opening being narrowed toward its closed end to a size to eii'ect gripping ot'the neck of the bottle between the resilient and rigid walls of the opening to therebysecurely hold the bottle to the carrier.

8. Means for carrying bottles through a bottle washing machine comprising: a, pair of spaced conveyor elements travelling in defined paths; a substantiallyiU-shaped carrier spanning the space between said conveyor elements and having its ends connected thereto, said ends of the carrier holding the portion of the carrier between the conveyor elements spaced from a plane passing through the pitch lines of the conveyor elements. a distance substantially equal to onehalf the height of the bottles to be washed, said carrier having openings into which the necks of bottles are insertable from the side of the carrier adjacent to said plane; and a slide supported by said portion of the carrier for reciprocation with respect thereto and engageable with the necks or bottles in one position of the slide to lock the bottles to thecarrier, whereby the bottles are held with their necks spaced a distance i projecting a substantially equal distance beyond the opposite side of said plane.

9. In a bottle washing machine having spaced endless conveyor elements, a bottle carrier driven by said conveyor elements comprising: a transverse carrier member extending across the space between the conveyor elements and having holes to receive the necks of bottles; a slide movably connected with said carrier member and engageable with the necks of bottles in said holes to lock the same to the carrier memberi and a connection between each end of the carrier member and one of the conveyor elements, said con nection including means for holding the carrier member spaced to one side of a, plane passing through the pitch lines of the conveyor elements a distance substantially equal to one-half the height of the maximum sized bottles for which the machine is designed.

10. Bottle carrying means for bottle washing machines having endless conveyor elements movable over tracks disposed in side by side spacedapart relationship comprising: a rigid transverse member extending across the space between the conveyor elements and having holes to receive the necks of bottles; means connected with the transverse member defining a slideway extending longitudinally of the transverse member and open at least at one end thereof; a. slide bar guided for longitudinal motion in said slideway and having bottle gripping means to grip the necks of bottles in one position of the slide and to release the bottles in another position of the slide; means on the slide at the open end of the slideway engageable with an actuator by which the slide bar is moved from one position to the ,other- 

